Training has started for One Thousand (1000) selected Girls from the thirty-one (31) districts in the Greater Accra Region under the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation’s GIRLS-IN-ICT program.
The training was divided into two: first and second batches. The first batch trained 500 girls from 24th to 28th June, 2024 while the second batch will train another 500 girls from the 1st to 5th July, 2024.
The program trained one hundred selected ICT, math and science teachers as trainers who are training the 1000 girls.
Meanwhile, Two Thousand (2000) girls from Ashanti and Volta Regions will also benefit from the program this year. Training areas include basic ICT skills, coding, website design, social media and internet safety, Game development and Animation development.
In all, the Ministry will train a total of 3000 girls and 300 teachers in three regions The districts include Ada East, Ada West, La Nkwantang, Ayawaso West, Krowor, Ledzokuku, Tema Metro, Tema West, Ashiaman, Shai Osudoku , Adentan, Prampram, Kpone Katamanso, La Dadekotopon , Ayawaso East, Korley Klottey, Ablekumah West, Ablekumah North.
The rest are, Ablekumah Central, Okaikwei North, Weija Gbawe, Ga West, Ga East, Ga Central, Ga North, Ga South, Accra Metropolitan, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso North and Ayawaso Central, The Girls-In-ICT program was introduced in 2012 by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) with the aim of creating a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the growing field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
The global theme for this year’s celebration is “Leadership”. “This theme is very relevant especially when Ghana is advocating for the empowerment of women and girls to take up leadership roles both locally and globally. The value of ICT skills has become essential and can be utilized across all sectors from healthcare and education to finance and manufacturing to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the execution of tasks and businesses.
Hence, Ghana has been celebrating this event in different regions each year since its introduction in 2012 and trained over 12, 981 girls and women”, Mrs, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said As part of strategies to ensure that Ghana achieves the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 and supported by Ghana’s ICT4AD Policy on bridging the gender digital divide, the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, through its agencies – GIFEC, NCA and the Kofi Annan ICT Centre of Excellence (KACE), has expanded the reach of the GIICT event.
Statistics revealed that girls were at a disadvantage due to the heavy male dominance in areas of ICT therefore, on 8 April 2011, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) announced the establishment of an international “Girls in ICT Day”. This therefore brings to the fore, the Minister’s quest to expand the program to reach more girls with adequate funding and resources from benevolent individuals and Organisations. The program has the following components:
● Training of 100 selected Teachers from across the selected Region
● Training of 1,000 Girls from across all the districts within the selected Region
● A Mentorship session whereby women currently working in the ICT Field share their personal and professional experiences with the Girls to encourage and guide them in their future careers and endeavours.
● A Climax Event that involves the following: Presentation of awards for best-100 performing Girls, Remarks by coaches and mentors, A Speech by the Honourable Minister and Presentation of certificates to all girls. As part of the motivation package, prizes such as laptops, modems etc, are awarded to the girls who excel in the competition while the top three girls receive cash prizes. In addition, ICT labs are set up in the schools of the girls who performed very well in the competition.
● An Open Day experience where the best 100 girls from the selected Region where the Programme had been held, are brought to Accra for a week to tour the Offices of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Companies in the ICTs industry, selected MoCD Agencies and interact especially with women in the industry.